Cellulose is a plentiful, and consequently inexpensive, biopolymer. However, in its unmodified form it is completely insoluble and cannot be dispersed into an aqueous liquid composition to achieve a stable, thickened, product.
Partially and selectively oxidising cellulose at the C6 position creates cellouronates or cellouronic acids which are more water dispersible than cellulose but still relatively insoluble.
WO 2010/076292 describes how this type of oxidised cellulose may be used as an alternative structurant for aqueous detergent compositions. This enables the formulator to replace surfactant required for structuring with relatively low concentrations of low cost, partially oxidised, dispersed modified cellulose. These reduced surfactant compositions nonetheless maintain a thick gel-like consistency which allows suspension of solids or gases, such as bubbles, capsules or beads. According to WO2010/076292, in order to provide gelled material it is essential to use anionic or zwitterionic surfactants. The use of a nonionic surfactant (sorbitan trioleate) does not result in a gel.
Surprisingly, we have now found that certain nonionic surfactants are capable of gelling with the oxidised cellulose described in WO2010/076292, even in the absence of any anionic or zwitterionic surfactant.